Page 43 of Twisted Prince
Fresh cheers erupt around us, then die into a muffled din as I’m steered into the back room where Keoghan often entertains his guests.
My stomach plummets as I find the boss there, casually reclining on a plush leather couch. His shirt’s unbuttoned to about halfway down his sternum, revealing more of his heavily inked skin than I’ve seen before. With his sleeves rolled up past his elbows, he looks perfectly at ease in his private room.
Several girls wearing form-fitting cocktail dresses surround him. Several men, including his general, his underboss, and a few businessman types I don’t recognize, occupy the other seats nearby.
Keoghan’s eyebrow cocks as soon as we enter, his steady blue gaze assessing me before moving lazily onto his cousin. Heat radiates from my body as I wonder what he must make of the situation.
Am I in trouble?
“What happened?” he asks after a long silence, that slow, crooked grin making his cheek dimple pop.
His eyes are on me when he asks the question, but his cousin cuts in, stepping forward as he keeps the bridge of his nose firmly pinched between two fingers.
“Some asshole assaulted me! That’s what? We were just having some innocent fun, and he came out of nowhere and tackled me!”
“Innocent fun?” Mr. Kelly asks, sitting forward in his chair to rest his elbows on his knees. The smile vanishes from his face, an intensity taking its place.
And the look he gives me now makes my legs turn to jelly, cold fear gripping my chest. I lick my lips nervously, unsure of what to say. The truth? If I do, will he defend me? Unlikely, considering this is his cousin we’re talking about.
More likely, I’ll lose my job. Which would put me and Gabby out on the street.
“He interrupted her performance, sir,” Akim says, his low voice in such a deep register it sounds more like a grumble than actual speech.
But I’ve never been more grateful for the bouncer. Because he found a way to thread the needle, so, hopefully, I won’t get fired.
Keoghan’s eyes flash, and he turns them back to his cousin. “I thought I made it clear you’re not to disturb my dancers. At any time. In any fashion.”
“It was just?—”
“I’ll deal with you later, Vinny. Go get yourself cleaned up.”
Keoghan’s cousin gives a curt nod, striding from the room with a massive chip on his shoulder.
Then Mr. Kelly’s eyes fix on me once again. How can a man be so terrifying with just a look? He’s been nothing but calm and respectful around me. But I get the sense that I could be dead with a snap of his fingers. And he wields that power like a sword.
“I cannot allow brawling in my club, Miss O’Mara. I will not allow it.”
“Yes, sir,” I murmur, my knees shaking in fear.
“Who is this man that assaulted my cousin? You know him?”
“I did know him. At least, I think. He’s from my time in New York.” I’m still questioning my sanity, though—about whether that could actually have been Gleb I saw. Why, after all these years, would he find me now?
“Is he going to be a problem?” Keoghan scowls, rising from his seat to approach me.
Holy hell, how big is this guy? He must be at least as tall as Gleb, but with the span of his shoulders, he feels like a mountain as he approaches me. Fighting the urge to take a step back, I tip my chin up to hold his gaze.
“N-No,” I stutter, and heat rushes to my cheeks. I hate how my voice always gives away my nerves. “No, he won’t be a problem,” I insist.
Keoghan sighs as he comes to a stand just a few feet away from me, and as he crosses his arms, his muscles bulge dangerously against the rolled fabric of his sleeves. “You’re a good worker, Mel. A solid employee. You’re easy to get along with. You always show up for your shifts—you’re on time, which is a surprisingly difficult trait to find in this business.”
I nod, biting my lips as I wait for him to come to whatever conclusion he intends to reach. And as he pauses, my heart hammers nervously against my ribs.
“That’s why I’m going to let it go this once, but I better not find you in the middle of a fight again. Is that understood?”
“Yes, perfectly,” I breathe.
“I hire my men to protect you, not back-alley brawlers who decide to pummel my cousin for being an idiot.”
